Live Blog: Oakland Roots vs. Monterey Bay Union FC

Posted on by Jonathan Comeaux

Hello and welcome back to Saturday’s home-opener edition of the live blog. Both Oakland Roots and Monterey Bay enter tonight’s match winless and are looking to find its offensive fluidity.

MBFC is coming off a 1-nil loss to Colorado Springs where they drew a red card in the 65th minute, meaning the visitors will be without midfielder Mobi Fehr tonight.

Lawson took his usual dive into the opposing team in this week’s “Know The Enemy” article. Although it’s difficult to decipher the exact playing style of an expansion side, he keys on Monterey’s propensity to sit on the counter. Check out his full article, here is a useful excerpt:

MBFC is set up to play without the ball. We saw last weekend that Oakland has some trouble with a high press. Thankfully, it does not look like MBFC is particularly eager to press. They’d rather sit back and try to hit you on the counter. When the opponent possesses the ball in their defensive half, MBFC likes to set up in a 4-2-3-1, which is their preferred shape…. What evidence we do have is that Monterey Bay appear to prefer to play down their left, through players like Mobi Fehr, Arun Basuljevic, Chase Boone, and Grant Robinson, all of whom are USL vets.

Key Events

Juan Guerra postmatch interview:

  • MBFC goal – 89′

MBFC takes the lead in the 89th. Spot kick ball in flicks around in the area, headed in. Union on the verge of the upset.

  • MBFC goal – 68′

MBFC goal at 68′. Boone’s second score, header from a corner. 2-2

  • Roots goal – 49′

ROOTS GOAL, Karlsson gets his 2nd score in the 49th minute on a beautiful feed by Rito. 2-1 Oakland.

  • Roots Goal -39′

ROOTS GOAL, Ottar draws a penalty and puts in the PK at 39′. It’s tied 1-1, Karlsson’s first goal.

  • MBFC Goal – 8‘

Monterey goal by Chase Boone. Curling shot stuns the home crowd early.

  • Oakland Roots Starting XI reaction

Tarek Morad gets his first start of the season, was told he featured with the first team in training this week. Lindo Mfeka, as mentioned earlier, starts at right wing. Juan Carlos Azocar to left back.

Timeline

Full time
Roots drop points from a winning position. Tough break, bad set piece defending plagues the game.
MBFC spot – 89′
Ball flicks around and is headed in. Terrible turn. Roberts on the goal.
Roots spot try – 83′
Formella try goes into wall.
Roots sub – 82′
Chuy on for Lindo.
Azocar shot wide -79′
Ball falls to JCA, shot trails wide.
Roots sub – 76′
Nane on for Mati. Emrah on for Tarek, limping off.
MBFC corner – 68′
leads to a header goal. 2-2. Boone’s second.
ROOTS GOAL – 49′
ROOTS GOAL, Karlsson gets his 2nd score in the 49th minute on a beautiful feed by Rito. 2-1 Oakland.
Halftime
Match goes into the half tied 1-1, Roots get on the board via a PK by Ottar Magnus Karlsson. Soft call, but we’ll take it.
Ottar draws pk, buries it – 39′
ROOTS GOAL, Ottar draws a penalty and puts in the PK at 39′. It’s tied 1-1, Karlsson’s first goal.
roots corner -33′ & 35′
first, ball skips off post. Second, Formella nearly gets a touch to put it in.
Play to Formella – 29′
Rito plays ball quickly from set piece to Formella. Can’t find touch.
Mati shot high – 20′
Roots corner targets Tarek, falls to Mati. Shot goes high.
MBFC goal – 8′
Gametime!
And we’re off!

Talking Point: More alterations coming?

We got some tips over the last couple of days in regards to the lineup. After Lindo Mfeka’s productive 17 minutes of regulation against Memphis, it appears that the plan is for him to start, but perhaps not at his natural central midfield role. The Blog learned that Roots are expected to run the same midfield trio as last week’s game, meaning Matias Fissore will play CDM alongside fellow midfielders Jose Hernandez and Charlie Dennis. This means that Lindo will likely line up on the wing.

A team source also indicated that Akeem O’Connor-Ward may be in doubt this week, while a separate source said Memo Diaz may not be listed as well for a second consecutive game. Of the two, the latter prediction seemed the most firm. This could mean Edgardo Rito continues playing at right back, while Juan Carlos Azocar shifts from the wing to fullback.

2 thoughts on “Live Blog: Oakland Roots vs. Monterey Bay Union FC”

  1. Can anyone break down why Monterey didn’t sub in their keeper from the bench, but instead but their forward in the net in the final minutes?

    Reply

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